Thomas l



T. L. BOWERS.

SHIPPW@ CHAT-E.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.23|1918.

lnt'entcd JULY 15 Home UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS L. BOWERS, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF'TO JOHN S. COLLINS,

OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

SHIPPING-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application led February 23, 1918. Serial No. 218,632.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs L. BOWERS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of' Miami, in the county of Dade, State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping-Crates, of

which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates particularly to that class of shipping crates that embody refrigerating means, and that are adapted for shipping perishable articles, such as avacado or alligator pears or the like, that require to be maintained at an approximately even temperature in transit.

The principal objects of my invention are, to provide a shipping crate, with an ice chamber so disposed and arranged as to effect maximum cooling efficiency, without deleteriously laffecting the contents of the crate.

Other objects of my invention are to pr vide a shipping crate ihaving an ice compartment or chamber with a closure affording convenient access thereto for replenishing the ice supply in transit, without exposing the articles packed in the crate to mischievous hands or possible theft.

My invention comprehends such an arrangement of the ice chamber, with respect to the article receiving compartments, as to afford efficient circulation of the cooled air throughout said compartments, and to afford such drainage for the melted ice as not to unduly moisten the articles contained in the compartments.

Specifically stated, the form of my invention as hereinafter described, comprises a shipping dcrate hav-ing separate compartiments at its ends for fruit or other such articles, and an intermediate chamber for icc or other refrigerant. Said compartments are provided with separate closures arranged to be securely fastened to protect the contents of said compartments, and said ice (-hamber is provided with a readily removahle closure for permitting the ice to be replenished in transit. The Walls between said chamber and compartments are perforated to permit the free circulation of cooled air therethrough, and the bottom of said chamber perforated to afford drainage.

My invention also includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified.

`In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a shipping crate constructed in accorda-nce with my invention, showing the ice chamber closure, partly opened for convenience of illustration; and Eig. 2, is a. longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken centrally through the crate.

In said figures, the crate comprises the bottom, 1, front wall, 2, back wall 3, end walls 4 and 5, and partitions 6 and 7, separating the end compartments 8 and 9, for containing fruit or the like, from the intermediate ice chamber 10.

The compartments 8 and 9 are respectively provided with closures 12 and 13, which are arranged to be securely fastened' by nails or screws 15, and reinforced, if desired, by straps 16, of metal or other suitable strapping material, to yprevent access to the contents of said compartments while in transit.

The ice chamber 10, is provided with the closure 17, arranged lto be readily withdrawn to permit access to said chamber, for the purpose of replenishing the ice while in transit, and 'is preferably mounted to slide in grooves 19 and 20, conveniently formed by suitably provided rabbets 21 and 22, in the upper edges of the partitions 6 and 7 respectively and the overhanging opposed ends 23 and-24 of Ithe respective compartment closures 12 and 13..

-The closure 17 is inserted and withdrawn over the front wall 2, whose upper edge is cut out therefor, local to the ice chamber 10, and said closure is limited in its closed position by the back wall 3, against which its ear edgel abuts when in closed position, and may be locked in its closed position by any suitable retaining means, as by the nail 25, thrust loosely through a suitable aperture therein, and arranged to depend behind said front wall 2, as is obvious.

The partitions 6 `and 7 are provided with suitably spaced perforations 26, through which the air cooled by the icein the ice chamber mayjcirculate, passing from said ice chamber through the lowermost perforations 26, into the respective compartments 8 and 9, upwardly through the interstices between the fruit contained, and then back through the uppermost perforation 26 into the ice chamber, as indicated by the arrows, whereby a dry refrigerating process is attained, which not only maintains an even temperature, but prevents moisture from injuring the contents of the compartments.

The water incident to the melting of ice may escape from the ice vchamber 10, through suitably provided apertures 27 in the bottom 1 of the crate, local to the ice chamber, as shown in Fig. 2.

The crate may be preferably provided with battens 29, embacing the bottom 1 and front and back walls 2 and 3, and the closures 12 and 13 may be provided with the battens 30 and 31 respectively. Said battens serve a dual purpose, as they not only afford strengthening reinforcements, but they also serve to provide an air space for the crates when closely packed together, whereby sweating of the walls of the crate and the consequent deterioration of the contents is prevented.

In packing the compartments, the fruit is preferably packed between layers of eX- celsior or other suitable spacing material that will afford a free passage of the cooled air about said fruit, and also a layer of excelsior upon the bottom of the ice chamber, which not only facilitates drainage of the melted ice, but also tends to retard the melting of said ice.

It is to be understood that although ice is herein specified as the cooling medium, any other suitable thermal agents may be employed to produce cold or heat currents as desired.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim A shipping crate having bottom, front, back and end Walls, and comprising se arate compartments for perishable artic es, and an intermediate chamber for containing ice, having drainage perforations in said bottom, and separated from said compartments by partitions having perforations affording direct communication between said compartments and chamber, and arranged to direct cold air from said chamber into said compartments adjacent to the bottom thereof, and to direct relatively warmer air 55 from the top of said compartmentsl into said chamber, said partitions having rabbets along their upper free edges, separate closures for said compartments, arranged to be securely fastened to prevent access to said articles in transit, and having their opposed ends overhanging said rabbets to form opposed grooves, a readily removable closure for said chamber arranged to permit free access thereto in transit, and hav` ing its edges slidably engaged in said grooves, and its closed position limited b said back wall, and means engageable with said front wall to prevent its accidental displacement.

Iny Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of February, A. D. 1918.

THOMAS L. BOWERS.

Witnesses:

ESTHER JACoBsEN, REGINALD V. WATERS. 

